Machine for making pipe bends



1942- J. F. STAROBA MACHINE FOR'MAKING PIPE BENDS 2 Sheets-Sheet .1 f

Filed April 1, 1940 [nuenivn Jose 0h Ffiiambcz Patented .iuly 7, 1942 MACHINE FOR MAKING PIPE BENDS Joseph F. Staroba, Chicago, 11]., assignor to'Taylor Forge & Pipe Works, Cicero, Ill., a corporatiers oi lillinois Application April 1, liilil, Serial No. 32?,112

(Cl. 153-4t) Claims. This invention relates to the making of pipe fittings, such as elbows, lJ-bends and analogous articles.

It is known to produce pipe bends from straight inilonlar blanks by iorcing the latter over an appropriately shaped enlarging mandrel. My invention is directed to a machine for making pipe bends in the manner stated, in which the mandrel is associated with a mandrel rod of a length to receive a plurality of blanks, means being provided for reciprocating the mandrel rod and for charging the latter with blanks when it is in its rearward position, at the end of adraw stroke, to the end of increased speed in operation and corresponding lowered cost of production. More specifically, I provide a reciprocating cross-head or equivalent member and quick detachable means for coupling such member to the rearward end ofthe mandrel rod, in conjunction with means for moving the latter rod into position with its rearward end clear of the cross-head and associated parts for reception of the blanks, means being provided for forcing the blanks for- .ward along the mandrel rodin the loading position of the latter. Conveniently, the means for moving the rod into loading position is effective for raising the rearward end of the mandrel rod out of the coupling means and for lowering the rod, after loading or charging thereof with the blanks, into position with its rearward end disposed in the coupling member for coupling to the cross-head. I also provide means for restraining the mandrel rod against forward movement during loading thereof and, preferably,-

blank abutments of a character to facilitate the required movement of the rod for loading thereof with blanks. Further objects and advantages which they occupy at the beginning of the draw stroke for forcing the blanks over the mandrel;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the mandrel rod in the position itoccupies at the end of the draw stroke and raised into loading position, with blanks being loaded onto the rod;

Figure 3 is a sectional view,.on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on'line 33 of Figure 1, the mandrel rodand the blanks thereon. and

1 I-beams 8. An annular cross member 9'is sethe furnace drawbar being omitted for clearness of illustration;

Figure 4 is a plan View, on an enlarged scale,

of the rearward end portion of the mandrel rod .and the cross-head and associated coupling means, with the lock collar of the latter means in open or inoperative position, certain parts being broken away and shown in section;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary lengthwise sectional view of the mandrel rod, showing in elevation the blank latch means.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated by way of example the machine is provided with a main frame comprising suitable standards or uprights 6. and I, these uprights supporting side cured to the forward ends of beams 8, by welding or in any other suitable manner. Upper and lower blank abutment members or stops l0 and II, respectively, are pivotally mounted on the front of cross member 9, for swinging movement in a vertical plane toward and away from the latter member. The members. it and II are pro.- vided, intheir adjoined edges, with arcuate openings which snugly receive a mandrel rod 12, when the stop members are in theirnormal position. Memberv I0 is mounted by means of a pintle rod ifla' secured to its upper portion. Rod Illa has 'a reduced element lllb adjacent eachend,

a which elements operate in vertical slots We in lugs Hid secured to cross member 9. Member III is thus mounted for swinging movement and for vertical sliding movement and is urged into its normal position by gravity. Member ii is pivotally mounted at its lower portion in substantially the same manner as member ill, but does not have vertical sliding movement; A weight 12, suitably attached to and depending from .member ll, urges the latter into its normal position. Cross member 9 serves to restrain members III and II against rearward movement from their normal positions.

Mandrel rod 12 extends forwardly from the members l0 and II into a hood or furnace l3,

of refractory construction. Suitable means, such as one or more gas burners I4, is provided for heating blanks on rod i2 and on a suitably formed enlarging mandrel l6 secured upon the forward end of rod l2, within furnace l3. The rod I2 is of a length to receive thereon 'a plurality of straight tubular blanks l1 disposed in endwise contacting relation, the rearward end of the 55 rearmost blank on this rod contacting the blank abutment members or stops l and II at the beginning of the draw stroke, for forcing the blanks over the mandrel, as shown in Figure 1. A grooved roller l8, supported by a bracket l9, suitably secured to the furnace structure, is' disposed to support the mandrel rod and the blanks thereon;

In the operation of the machine, the mandrel rod I2 is reciprocated, being moved rearward during the draw stroke for forcing the blanks over the mandrel and, after being charged with a suitable number of blanks, returned to its forward position for a second draw stroke Within the broader aspects of my invention, any suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the mandrel rod. I have shown, for that purpose, a wheel mounted across head 20 travelative position, effective for closingthe. top of socket 28 and preventing displacement therefrom of neck 26 of the mandrel rod. When collar 32 and the parts carried thereby, as will be explained ing on rails 2| suitably secured to theinner faces of I-beams 8. Cross-head is secured, in any suitable manner, to the forwardend of a piston rod 22 which extends through a stufllng box 23 at the forward end of a hydraulic cylinder 24, the rearward end of rod 22 being suitably secured to a piston (not shown) mounted for reciprocation within cylinder 24. The latter is suitably secured at its forward end, as by bolting, to the I-beams 8 and may be supported in any suitable maner, as by means of a rearward extension of the main frame or, if desired, by separate supports. Suitable means is provided for admitting and exhausting liquid under pressure to the cylinder 24 at opposite sides of the piston for reciprocating the same, in a known manner. Such means is well known and need not be illustrated nor described here in greater detail. Sufllce it to state that the rearward end of piston rod 22 is secured to a piston which is reciprocated' in cylinder 24,

and that suitable means is provided for supporting the latter cylinder and for controlling ad-- mission thereto of liquid under pressure from a suitable source of supply and exhaust of liquid from that cylinder, for the purpose stated. Any other suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the cross head or equivalent member, thoughI preferably employ the hydraulic means referred to.

The rearward end portion of mandrel rod I2 is formed to provide a reduced neck 26 of sub-- stantially V-shape in cross section, the forward end of this neck being connected to the body of rod |2 by a shoulder 21 inclined outward and forward of the rod. Neck 26 fits snugly into a corresponding socket 28 opening at the top and the forward end of a coupling member 29 secured at its rearward end, in a manner which will be described presently, to cross head 20 and extending forward therefrom. Coupling member. 29 is provided, at opposite sides of socket 28, with spaced ribs 30 extending in direction from the top to the bottom of the socket. Ribs 30 receive between them correspondingly disposed ribs 3| formed on the sides of neck 26. In order to guard against casu'al displacement of neck 26.from coupling member 23, a lock collar 32 is mounted to turn upon the latter member, this collar being 6 provided throughout its length with an opening or slot 33 of somewhat greater width than the top of socket 23. A suitable handle 34 is secured in collar 32 and projects substantially radially therefrom, for convenience in turning this collar into its operative or inoperative position Turning movement of collar 32, in either direction; is limited by a stud 33 secured in coupling member 23, and projecting into a circumferential slot 33 more fully presently.

Cross-head 20 is secured on the forward end of ward face of base flange 39, thus effectively clamping the coupling member 29 to the crosshead for-movement therewith. Any other suitable means may be provided for securing the coupling member 29 to the cross-head or, if desired, the coupling member may be formed integrally with the cross-head, as will be understood.

' Cross-head 20 is provided, at one side thereof,

with a suitably disposed depending arm 4| having, at its lower end, an eye 42. The latter receives the threaded rearward end portion of a furnace drawbar 43 suitably attached, at its forward end, to furnace |3 as by being bent at right angles and inserted through a plate.

bracket 44 suitably secured to the furnace structure. Two nuts 45 and 46 are screwed upon drawbar 43 incontact with the front and the back, respectively, of eye 42. In that manner, furnace I3 is connected to the cross-head for movement therewith, for which purpose the furnace is suitably mounted on wheels 41 traveling upon rails, one of which is shown at 48, extending forwardly from the main frame of the ma-.

chine in alignment therewith.

Ribs 3| of neck 26 of the mandrel rod I2 ar spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the width of ribs 30 of socket member 29, so that the neck 26 of the mandrel rod may be moved into and-out of the socket member by swinging movement of this rod about a point adjacent the forward end thereof, as will be explained presently. In order to accomplishsuch swinging movement of the mandrel rod, I provide two hydraulic jacks 50, each'provided at the upper end or its piston rod with a grooved roller 5|. The rollers 5| are disposed in vertical alignment with piston rod 22, when the latter is in its forward position, and with mandrel rod l2 in the rearward'position of the latter, the axes of rollers 5| being perpendicular to'the common axis of piston rod 22 and mandrel rod l2.- The jacks 50 are operated for raising andlowering the rollers 5 l in a known manner which need not be illustrated or described here in greater detail. Suflice it to state that suitable means is provided for effecting vertical adjustment of the rollers 5| to desired extent. Normally the rollers 5| are in lowered position, as shown in Figure 1.

During the rearward or draw stroke of the mandrel rod l2, ribs 33 of the coupling member 29 are in contact with the forward faces of ribs 3| of neck 26 of the mandrel rod for moving the 4 in collar 32. In F s e 5, c0116! 3! is in i 9 latter rod rearward with the cross-head 20 and the piston rod. 22. When mandrel rod l2 reaches Figure2. In order to load the mandrel rod with blanks, lock collar 32 is turned into its inoperative position, so as to uncover the top of socket 2d of coupling member 25. The rollers am then elevated, the rearward one of these rollers being raised to a greater height than the forward one, thus swinging rod E2 on roller 18 upward into the upwardly and rearwardly. inclined position shown in Figure 2, with the rearward end of this rod disposed above and clear of the crosshead and the parts carried thereby. In order to preventforward movement of the mandrel rod, when thus supported, a holding pawl 53, pivoted upon the upper portion of cross member 9 at the rear thereof, is swung downward to position to engage into a'notch 56 suitably located in the upper portion of rod l2, pawl 53 being then 1nclined downward and rearward in contact with the'rearward end of the notch effective for preventing forward movement of the mandrel rod. To facilitate upward swinging of mandrel rod it, the upper blank stop member Ill may be raised slightly, which is permitted by the slots I00, and then swung forward into position with its lower edge. resting upon the adjacent blank.

Mandrel rod I2 is then swung upward and stop member I!) moves forward and upward. into substantially its position shown in Figure 2.

When the mandrel rod I2 is supported in the position shown in Figure 2, blanks l'l may readily be placed upon this rod over, the rearward end thereof by hand, the respective blanks being first inserted over neck 26, as indicated at H0, and then moved forward onto the body portion of the mandrel rod as indicated at llb. From the position ill) the blanks are forced forward along .mandrel rod l2, by'suitable means. Preferably,

Iyprovid e pusher rneans for that purpose. I he pusher means may comprise a hydraulic cylm "der 5B suitably mounted on the upper forward portionof the main cylinder 24, cylinder 56 receiving a reciprocating. p g n); to

which is secured the rearward end of aif piston rod 51 passing through a stumng 'box 5Bflatthe forward end of cylinder 56. A head 59 is secured Iupon the forward end of piston rod 5-! and carlies a depending pivotally mounted dog 6d capame of forward and upward swinging movement lrelative to head5 9 fagainst rearward v j fDog Ellis disposed ,to contact the upper rearward *"nd portion of ablank in the position indicated but restrained, by a stop 6!, ovement relative to the head.

at ill on the rearward end portion of mandrelrod 12, so as to force the blank from the position l'lb forward along rod "into the position of the next preceding blank on this rod, shown in fulllines in Figure 2. During this operation of forcvancing this blank along the mandrel rod, upon which another blank may be placed in the manner described. It is thus possible quickly to load or charge the mandrel rod 62 with the proper number of blanks, while it is supported in the position shown in Figure 2, it being understood that the blanks cannot be advanced forward beyond the holding pawl .53 during this loading operation. Cylinder 56 has associated therewith suitable known means for admitting liquid under pressure, from a suitable source of supply, at either side of the piston and for exhausting liquid from the other side of the piston, in a known manner. Such means is known and need not be illustrated nor described here in greater detail.

' Suffice it to state that any suitable pusher means may be provided for feeding the blanks forward along the mandrel rod in the manner stated, though ordinarily I prefer to employ the hydraulic pusher means shown and described herein.

After the proper number of blanks have been .loaded onto the mandrel rod in the manner statforward into its inoperative position shown in Figure 1. The blanks which have been charged onto the mandrel rod may then be moved forward along the latter, into position with the most' fbrward of such blanks incontact with the rearward end of the rearmost blank remaining upon the rod from the previous draw stroke, all

of the blanks being disposed in endwise contact one with the other. During such forward movement of the blanks, the abutment members "I and H are displaced thereby and, when thelast .blank has been advanced into position in front of the .abutment members, are automatically returned to operative position about the mandrel rod. The cross head 20 is then moved forward, thus moving the rod I2 forward sufficiently to dispose the rearward end of the rearmost blank on this rod in front of the blank stop or abutment members l0 and II andto permit movement of such members to position fitting about mandrel rod l2. v During this forward movement of the cross head the furnace l3 also is moved forward and the ribs 30 of coupling member 29 are in contact ,with the rearward faces of ribs 3| of neck 26. The cross head is then moved "rearward a short distance, bringing the rearward end of the rearmost blank upon rod l2 into contact with the blank abutment members 10 and II, at which time the parts occupy the positions shown in Figure 1, after. which. the

ing the blanks forward along the mandrel rod,

from the position I'lb, another blank may be placed over neck 26 of the mandrel rod, in the position Na, and moved forward substantially into position llb, it being noted that during the rearward movement of piston rod 51 and head 59 of the pusher dog 50 will swing upward and for ward so as not toloppose suchforwar'd" movement of the last referred to blank. When dog 60 has moved rearward sufficiently to clear the rearward end of the last referred to blank, piston rod 51 may be moved forward again, thus ad-- continued rearward movement of the cross head and of the mandrel rod with it constitutes the dra'wstroke for forcing the blanks over the mandrel in the manner previously described.

Alternatively, after the proper number of blanks have been loaded onto rod 12, the latter may be coupled to the cross-head and moved thereby forward sufficiently to dispose the rearmost blank in front of the blank abutment members l0 and II.

the blanks which have been loaded thereon, due

During'such forward movementof the man-. drel rod the latter may tend to move through to contact of the forwardmost one of such blanks with stop members l and II, which return to their normal position upon lowering of rod l2 into horizontal position. A latch member 65 is pivoted at one end, at 66, in an appropriately formed slot 61 in mandrel rod l2, adjacent the inner or rearward end thereof. Latch member 65 normally is held raised by a leaf spring 68, and is so disposed that a finger 69 thereof pro- Jects beyond mandrel rod I! in position to con-- tact the rearward end of the last blank loaded onto the rod. The forward edge of finger 69 is of the stop members l0 and Ii, the latter are automatically returned to operative position about rod l2, in back of the rearmost blank. 5

The cross-head is then moved rearward, drawing rod l2 through the blanks loaded thereon until all of the blanks on the rod are in endwise contact. Thereafter the cross-head continues its rearward travel, moving mandrel rod l2 rearward on its draw stroke.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making pipe bends, a frame, a fixedcross-member on said frame, a mandrel rod for receiving tubular blanks passing through said member, the latter having an opening of materially greater diameter than said rod, blank abutment means at the front of said, member restrained thereby againstrearward'mpvement and'yieldingly held in position extending about said rod, 9. mandrel at the forward end of said rod, a reciprocating cross-head mounted on said frame in rear of said membena coupling member carried by said cross-head provided with a socekt opening through its top and forward end, the rearward end of said rod being insertible into and removable from said socket by lowering and raising thereof, said coupling member and the rearward end of'said rod having cooperating means securing them together when coupled, means normally restraining the rearward end of said rod against movement out of said socket adjustable to permit such movement, means disposed beneath said rod in its rearward position for raising its rearward end clear of said socket member and there supporting it and for lowering the rearward end of said rod into said socket, and means for forcingblanks placed over the rearward end of said rod when in its raised position forward along said rod.

2. In a machine for making pipe bends, a frame, a fixed cross-member on said frame, a

mandrel rod for receiving tubular blanks passing through said member and having a mandrel at its forward end, blank abutment means at the front of said member restrained thereby against rearward movement and yieldingly held in position about said rod, a reciprocating cross-head on saidframe in rear of said member, means for coupling said rod to said cross-head comprising a coupling member carried by said cross-head and having a socket opening through its top and forward end, the rearward end of said rod being insertible into and removable from said socket by lowering and raising of said rod, and a: slotted lock collar turnable on said coupling member into a first position closing the top of said socket against upward movement therethrough of the rearward end of said rod and a second position opening the top of said socket for relative upward movement of said rearward end of said rod.

3. In a machine for making pipe bends, a mandrel rod and a mandrel at the forward end thereof, means for reciprocating said rod com prising a fixed cylinder and a piston rod reciprocating therein, means for coupling the rearward end of said mandrel rod to the forward end of said piston rod, removable blank abutment means disposed about said mandrel rod restrained against rearward movement, pusher means at the forward end of'said cylinder above said mandrel rod and operable independently of said reciprocating means, the rearward stroke of said mandrel rod being its draw stroke and serving to position it with its rearward end substantially beneath said pusher means, and means for raising said mandrel rod when it isuncoupled from said piston rod and supporting it with its rearward end in position spaced from said recipro- 40 cating means for reception of blanks and for' movement forwardly therealong of the blanks by said pusher means.

4. In a machine for making pipe bends, a drel rod and a mandrel at the forward end thereof, means for reciprocating said rod comin its rearward position with its rearward end spaced from said reciprocating means and in proximity to said pusher means for receiving blanks and for movement forwardly therealong of the blanks by said pusher means.

JOSEPH F. STAROBA.

Patent Officq;

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,233,7 5. July 7, 19m.) JOSEPH F. STAROBA.

' It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above fiumbered-patgnt requiring. correction a a fol lraws Page sec-' ond Column," lines 145 and 1414., claim 1 for "a drel rod" read -va mandrel rddand that thehaaid Letters Patent should be r ad with' this correction therein that the game may conform to the record of the'cqse in the Signed and sealgd' this 18th da 51* August, -A. 1); 19!;2.

. I Henry Van Aradal, (Seal) kcting conmaissionez of Patents. 

